Image forming apparatus

摘要

An image forming apparatus which includes a platen for transporting a recording medium at a prescribed speed, a ribbon drive for transporting a thermoplastic ink ribbon which has a thermoplastic agent and thermal expansible particles contained in the thermoplastic agent in parallel with the recording medium at a speed slower than the transporting speed of the recording medium and a heater for selectively heating the thermoplastic ink ribbon so as to transfer the thermoplastic agent onto the recording medium.